Oh migawsh, you people are so impatient. Yes yes, and for the last time YES THERE WILL BE SASUNARU IN LATER CHAPTERS! I DIDN'T PUT SASUKE IN THERE FOR NOTHING! Which means if there is SasuNaru, then yes, Neji will get jealous. So please please PLEASE stop asking me! I have to get through this whole thing with Neji and Saku before the SasuNaru...oh what the hell. You'll see when you read.
Chapter 9: Desolation
Naruto occupied himself in the kitchens for the next few weeks. He occasionally spent time with Kiba down in the kennels, his visits getting more and more frequent until the two boys were the best of friends. Slowly the desperate sadness in Naruto's eyes grew faint until there seemed nothing wrong with the blonde, though Kiba and Lee could easily sense the funereal cloud that was constantly draped over the blonde. On days when the Hyuuga and his girlfriend were seen strolling through the garden in a spot visible to the blonde, the cloud would increase in size and Naruto would once more have a desolate loneliness on his face. Always he assured the Inuzuka and Lee that there was absolutely nothing the matter with him, that everything was fine, but the two knew better, choosing never to probe further into the subject and reopen a freshly healed but still extremely painful wound. It was until one day that Naruto received a summons from the Hyuuga, requesting his presence with no exceptions.
His eyes darkening to a blue so dark it was practically black, Naruto stood from the kennels and made his way to the Hyuuga's study, taking as much time as possible to arrive before the door. He dallied in front of the door, his mind torn between turning tail and running or deciding to knock, but finally settled on knocking, chiding himself for being such a coward. Rapping softly on the door, he grasped the handle with an unusually sweaty palm and turned the knob, letting himself in. Neji was situated by the window, eyes deep in thought. He turned at the slight sound of the door and faced the blonde, an unreadable expression in his grayish-silver eyes.
The silence between them was so thick, not even a chainsaw could hope to cut through the tension. Naruto's eyes had gone from the normal blue shade to a black so deep, Neji couldn't distinguish the irises from the pupils. They seemed lifeless, incapable of seeing, almost as if they were painted onto the blonde's face, or carved from blackened wood. The blonde's mouth was set in a firm line as well, portraying neither anger, nor sadness; in fact, it revealed no emotion at all. Naruto's look wasn't cold as it was when he faced Sasuke; it was the lack of coldness and all traces of life that practically petrified the Hyuuga beyond all levels of fright. Nevertheless he hadn't survived living with his uncle for nothing, and thus didn't show the fear that coursed through his body in torrents.
"Naruto, come in." The blonde obeyed, coming to a stop about an arm's length away from the Hyuuga. Neji got straight to the point.
"You do realize I will be married soon?" God, the very words caused him great pain, though for what reason, he did not know. Naruto didn't show any outward sign of surprise, only lazily lifting an eyebrow as if Neji were commenting on the weather.
"Really? My congratulations." The blonde's tone of voice certainly didn't portray his congratulations; in fact, Naruto sounded bored beyond all measures.
"I'm sure Sakura will make a fine wife." Though the words were soft, it would've been far easier for Neji to bear if Naruto showed some sign of emotion; he would've welcomed it even if Naruto had screamed.
"That brings me to the subject of calling you here. Naruto, you are my closest friend, and I would like nothing better than if you were my best man at the wedding."
The Hyuuga braced himself for the sudden drop of temperature in the room, but when none came, he focused his stare on the blonde once more. Naruto's eyes glittered strangely, looking more than ever as if they were painted on his face.
"It will be an honor, Neji-san." With that, the blonde turned to go, but stopped at the door.
"By the way, do you have a set date for the wedding?" Neji felt a pang go through his chest at the "Neji-san" formality the blonde had stated in his former sentence.
"I believe it will be next week." The Hyuuga knew the wedding date was far too close and far too rash, but it was too late to go back on it now. Nevertheless, Naruto showed no outward surprise at the ridiculously close date, only nodding and letting himself out.
It was later that Kiba found Naruto sprawled on his bed, staring out into space. The Inuzuka sat down next to the blonde, stroking his hair softly.
"I hear Neji will be married next week." Naruto nodded.
"He asked me to be his best man. I cannot go against his wishes." Kiba sighed.
"You don't have to, you know. No one can make you do anything if you don't want them to." Naruto further burrowed into his pillow.
"I know. But I still owe my servitude to Neji, and though his fiancée is the one girl I absolutely detest, Neji is still my friend." Kiba ruffled the blonde's hair, chuckling as Naruto squirmed playfully under his touch.
"Loyal little brat, aren't you?" Naruto grinned and tackled the Inuzuka, the two rolling about playfully on the floor.
Over the next few days, the Hyuuga mansion came alive with bustling servants, cleaning the house, putting up decorations, and inviting guests to the wedding. Both Shizune and Naruto were working furiously to complete the sixteen-layer wedding cake for the occasion, using up over half the kitchen's dairy products and a truckload of icing. Servants hustled to and fro, frantically stitching Sakura's voluminous wedding gown, while some of Japan's best tailors readied Neji's pearl-white tuxedo. Naruto managed to find a white suit as well, plucking a lily from the garden and sticking it in his buttonhole. The union of the Haruno and the Hyuuga would take place in the grandiose ballroom that was situated in the north wing of the mansion.
Naruto hastily flung on his tuxedo, securing it with a black tie around his neck. Snatching the lily from the flowerpot beside his bed, he artfully threaded it through the buttonhole, checking his reflection in the mirror opposite his bed. Kiba slunk up behind him and slung an arm around his shoulder, smiling in a very canine way.
"Before you go…at least try to put on a remotely cheerful face." It was true; Naruto looked like he was attending a funeral.
"I know it's painful….do you really want to go?" Naruto nodded.
"I have my duty to Neji." Kiba sighed.
"You know, duty isn't everything." Naruto smiled wanly.
"But to me, his friendship is." Shrugging off the Inuzuka, Naruto padded quietly out of the room and down to the ballroom.
The guests were plenty, consisting of many people all of high social status. The servants were bustling around, serving snacks and drinks, and making sure everyone was kept happy. Looking to the right, Naruto spotted Neji seated with Sakura at the far end of the room, in a secluded corner that suggested privacy. Picking his way through the throng, he approached the couple, trying his best to put on what he hoped was a somewhat cheerful gaze on his face. Neji noticed the blonde as he drew level with the two, and a smile spread across his face. Sakura's eyes glittered with excitement, a rosy flush spread across her cheeks. Shifting slightly from her perch on Neji's lap, the girl extended a hand to Naruto.
"You are extremely lucky to be chosen as Neji's best man." Naruto firmly grasped the extended appendage, restraining himself from crushing the slight fingers right then and there, though the temptation was great.
"You are extremely luck to be chosen as Neji's bride." He replied, a somewhat triumphant glitter in his eyes. Sakura's smile faltered ever so slightly before she hitched it back on again, mistaking the hidden meaning in Naruto's words.
"Thank you." Naruto winked at the Hyuuga.
"I'd best leave the two of you alone; wouldn't want to spoil your time together, now would I?"
With that, the blonde glided out of sight, quickly mingling with the various guests that had assembled in the room. Neji watched him go with a painful look in his eyes. Why did he have a growing feeling of doubt in the pit of his stomach? It was his wedding day; everything was supposed to be perfect. Yes…yes everything was perfect. Nothing could go wrong. So then why did he have the constant, nagging doubt in his mind?
Choosing a seat in one of most remote corners of the room, Naruto sat down on a plain, wooden chair, content to observe the people bustling in and out. Politely declining an offered drink, the blonde closed his eyes and meditated, focusing his thoughts inwardly. He soon felt his mind slip from his body, delving into the nooks and crannies of his soul. It wasn't jealousy he felt towards Sakura, now that he thought about it. No, it was something rather close to pity, for he saw through her pretenses, and he saw through Neji's courtship, and this was where his nerves were touched and teased: she could not charm him.
If she had managed the victory at once, and Neji had yielded and sincerely laid his heart at her feet, Naruto would've covered his face, turned to the wall, and died to them. If Sakura had been a good, kind woman, endowed with force, fervor, kindness, and sense, he would've had a brief but painful conflict with two snakes: jealousy and despair, and they would've torn out his heart. But, as matters really stood, to watch Sakura's efforts at fascinating the Hyuuga, to witness her repeated failure—herself unconscious that they did fail, vainly fancying that they did hit their mark in the middle of his heart—to witness this was to be at once under ceaseless excitation and ruthless restraint.
Because, when she failed, the blonde saw how she could have succeeded. Arrows that continually glanced off from Neji's heart and fell harmless at his feet, might, if shot by a surer hand, have quivered keen in his proud heart. It seemed to him that if Sakura had sat quietly by his side, listening to him with utmost attention instead of flaunting shamelessly her lavish, flirtatious looks, she'd have gotten nearer to his heart.
His thoughts turned to Neji, lingering on the image of the Hyuuga before turning to Kiba, Lee, Shizune, Iruka, and all the people precious to him. He was extremely lucky, he assured himself, he was extremely lucky to have made all the good friends. He should be thankful, he chided himself, and he shouldn't be wallowing in self-pity like he was doing now. He should put on a cheerful face, and congratulate his friend on his wedding day. That was what he should do….but what he should do and he wanted to do differed greatly from each other. What he wanted to do….well, what he wanted to do wouldn't be of liking to the Haruno.
Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts by Hiashi's booming voice reverberating around the walls of the room.
"We graciously thank all of you for taking the courtesy of attending my nephew's wedding tonight. I cannot tell you how proud I am of Neji, and it is my greatest joy to see him wed tonight. We shall now commence with the union." A thunderous applause greeted the statement, the crowd cheering and whistling. Naruto threaded his way through the crowd, coming to rest in front of the altar.
The musicians struck up a slow tune, and the crowd parted to reveal the flower girls dancing merrily down the aisle, scattering flower petals through the air with flamboyant sweeps of their hands. The fan at the end of the room parted, revealing Sakura in all her glory. The shy bride slowly stepped along the velvet of the red carpet to the radiant groom waiting at the altar. Sakura blushed, ducking her head nervously before holding it high and walking to the slow time of the music. Neji's smile grew with each step the Haruno took and his eyes seemed to sparkle with anticipation.
Joining the Hyuuga on the altar, Sakura walked hand in hand with Neji to stand before the priest, kneeling as he commenced with the marriage rites. With each word he spoke, a tiny fragment of Naruto's heart fell and shattered on the floor, causing great needles of pain to shoot through the blonde's chest. Naruto bore it bravely, hitching on what he hoped was a calm, serene façade, grinding his teeth to bear the pain. The further along the marriage rites got, the more pieces of his heart crumbled and disintegrated until there only remained one tiny piece left.
"Forever will these two newlyweds be joined in matrimony." The priest ended the rites and stepped back.
Neji turned to the Haruno and looked deeply into her eyes. Sakura stared back, a slow smile tugging at her lips, tears falling down her cheeks. The Hyuuga reached out and gently wiped them away, lifting Sakura's veil in the process. Sakura smiled and leaned up, slowly closing her eyes in anticipation. Neji leaned in, drawing closer and closer until he stopped, millimeters away from her lips, so close he could practically feel the kiss. For a moment, for a very brief moment, time froze and the nagging doubt in the pit of Neji's stomach grew to four hundred times its size, completely overwhelming the Hyuuga in a sea of guilt. Neji inhaled sharply, willing away the feeling. Why did he feel like he would regret this for the rest of his life? No….no, everything was perfect.
Neji leaned the rest of the way and captured Sakura's mouth with his own.
Naruto gasp was lost in the surging roar of the crowd. The blonde clutched at his chest, doubled over with pain as the last tiny shard of his heart came loose and shattered into a thousand pieces at his feet. The floodgates, so strong and sturdy now broke loose and spilled the river. Tears flowed freely down Naruto's eyes, dropping down at his feet, immediately swallowed up by the velvet carpet.
Whirling blindly, Naruto shoved his way through the crowd, one hand covering his face while the other groped wildly for the exit, not caring who was hit or jostled. Breaking through the mass of bodies, Naruto ran like mad, making straight for the double doors at the end of the hallway. Staggering blindly, he fumbled for the doorknob, nails scrabbling over the brass handle before his fingers closed over the knob and yanked, flinging open the door to reveal the night beyond. Stumbling through the doorway, Naruto slammed the door and ran haphazardly down the vast, marble steps, shoving his way through the gates and out into the night. His presence was never missed in the thrill of the wedding.
The blonde walked on for what seemed like an eternity, not caring where his feet led him, walking solely on reflex. What seemed like hours upon hours passed by but still he walked, the twin waterfalls of tears never ceasing their incessant flow. So blinded by the liquid was he that he never noticed the shiny glint of metal looming before him until it was too late. Seconds later, a piercing sliver of pain shot through his neck. He crumpled silently, grateful for the man who put him out of his misery and slowly but surely his vision grew dark.
Knowing the past history of my stories, I am usually extremely evil in my ways of getting you people to review. You know if you've read my other stories (if you haven't, thenREAD EM!). I usually end in a cliffie where Naruto blacks out and then I ask you people to review or else Naruto dies, right? Well this time, out of the kindness of my heart, Naruto is not going to die. I repeat, Naruto. Is. Not. Going. To. Die. SasuNaru in the next chapter for all you people who are so damn impatient. EsPECIALLY YOU, MOMOCHI ZABUZA! Sheesh, been begging me for SasuNaru ever since chapter 4.